Who will be the next star of women’s college basketball?
The newcomer class of this past season has provided some possible answers.
Most of the sports eyes were glued to something like USC’s Juju Watkins, uconn‘Paige’s bueckers, Notre DameWith Hannah Hidalgo TCUHaley Van Liss, a few freshmen who stood out and helped the team reach new heights. Some of them began to hurt the surface as to what their potential was, while others piled up praise, produced eye-opening statistics, and helped their team win big.
Michigan is an example of a team with a truly bright future, with three outstanding rookies this season: Silla Sword, Olivia Olson and Mia Holloway. Collectively, the trio averaged 42.1 points, 14.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.
Others like Gal Rabib will not return to school where they spent their newcomers season. After an average of 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists at Kinnipiac this year, the Israeli 5-foot-9 guard will test his skills at the ACC after moving to Miami.
As we barrel towards the 2025-26 season, let’s look back at what some players have achieved as rookies and think about what we can do next.
These are the sophomores you need to pay attention to what you’re heading for next season.
Courtney Grossman of East Washington
Of all freshmen across the nation last season, Grossman was the only person with an average double double, scoring 10.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. She was fifth in the nation with defensive rebounds and grabbed 8.5 of the other team’s mistakes per game. For her efforts, the six-foot front from Billings, Montana, was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Eastern Washington finished with just a 9-20 record, but Grossman looks like a player the program can build for years to come.
Kiyomi McMiller, Pennsylvania
McMiller enrolled in the university with a hype that was ranked as one of the top 30 players in the 2024 class by ESPN. She flashed some of her potential as a newcomer across the Jordanian brand Rutgersnotched three double doubles and scored 25 points or more in six in one game. However, the suspension during the season has made McMiller’s freshman season a rocky season. She entered the transfer portal along with suitors from several major programs, and eventually ended in Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions were 10-19 last season, winning only one game in Big Template play. They hope that McMiller will lead them to more wins.
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova
The 5-foot-7 Canadian security guard was one of the best freshmen in the Big East this past season and supported the power Villanova Appears in the WBIT semi-finals. Bascoe was one of only two freshmen nationwide, making at least 2.5 free throws per game and earning 85% north of the season’s charity stripe. She averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for the Wildcats.
Jaroni Cambridge, Ohio
The 5-foot-7 guard from Cambridge, Nashville, Tennessee, started in all 29 games he played for the Buckeyes this past season, averaging 15.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game. She was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year and gave some outstanding performances, like when she tallied 33 points and five assists in her February victory. Michigan.
Ally Turner, Gonzaga
Named the honorable mention of All-American by the WBCA, few shooters have had as good a shot as this season. She led all the freshmen and ranked 11th nationwide in 3-pointers made per game at 3.0. Her 45.7% success rate from behind the Ark was No. 17th in the nation, averaging 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. With the help of Turner, Gonzaga made the WBIT quarter-finals.
Delaney Gibb, BYU
The Big 12 Freshman of the Year did it all for the Cougars this season, averaging 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, while shooting 39.5% from behind the arc. 5ft guard from Canada, give will be a player BYU Can be built over the next few seasons.
Toby Fournier, Duke
The 6-foot-2 Canadian forward, famous for his viral dunking highlights on social media, helped the Blue Devils win the ACC tournament and advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since this past season. She was named ACC Rookie of the Year, averaging 13.2 points per game, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Fournier also shot 52.6% from the floor, ranking 34th in the nation.
Mikaila Blakes, Vanderbilt
Blakes, the winner of the USBWA’s Tamika Catchings Award, has been an absolute box office gross this season, putting Vanderbilt on the map. She leads all freshmen and was number eighth nationally among all players, but scored this season with 23.3 points per game. Since 2009, Blakes is the only player to score 50 points in two games as a freshman. The Blakes are hoping that Commodore will compete for the SEC’s top for the next few seasons.
Sarah Strong, UConn
Never mind the designation of freshmen – Strong is one of the best players in the country this season, and the main reason why UConn beat South Carolina to win the 12th National Championship. Tabbed as the best recruit in the class of 2024, Strong lived in the hype with an average of 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steel and 1.7 blocks per game. In any game, Strong could be UConn’s best scorer, rebounder, passerby and defender.
The player’s complete package ranks third in the country for in-arc shooting rates, accounting for 68.3% of shots from the 2-point range. She also led the country in winning stocks (9.3) and defensive ratings (64.9). With the strong lineup, the Husky hopes to compete for the national championship again.
